Since 2012, the Zilkha Center for Environmental Initiatives has selected six to seven students each year for its summer internship program. Interns have worked as food-waste specialists, energy conservation analysts and artists in residence, among the many jobs focused on sustainability that impact the campus community. “Our internship program speaks to the college’s commitment to community by creating a space where our interns are allowed and encouraged to learn from each other,” says Elayne Elliott, sustainability coordinator. “A core part of the Zilkha Center’s mission is to provide opportunities for action and seek new methods for addressing sustainability challenges. Our interns, who come from various academic disciplines, provide perspective and enthusiasm that enable us to further the reach of our work.” This past summer, some of that work included (1) picking peaches from the orchard area outside of the Class of 1966 Environmental Center; (2) providing tours of the center’s building and grounds for admission open houses; (3) making jam with locally sourced blueberries to be used in the college’s dining halls; and (4) assisting Caretaker Farm in Williamstown with projects such as spreading mulch over the garden beds.
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